The First Prince of the Ming Dynasty

April 27th.

On this day, a special guest arrived at the Duke of England's residence, and it took a long time before Zhang Mao himself was finally seen.

Zhang Mao, his face showing a hint of impatience, said, "Father-in-law Xia, what brings you here so suddenly?"

Clearly, Zhang Mao didn't want to have much contact with Xia Ru, because almost everyone in the capital knew that this Xia Ru's father-in-law didn't have the power of the Zhang and Zhou families, who were the maternal relatives of the emperor. His status in the capital was more like that of the Wang family during the reign of Emperor Xianzong.

"My lord, it's not that I had to come, it's just that... sigh!" Xia Ru looked hesitant to speak.

Zhang Mao frowned and said, "Is it because someone said you're dying? You're perfectly fine, aren't you?"

Xia Ru, with a mournful face as if facing imminent disaster, said, "Someone from the palace came to inform me that Master Tang, who accurately predicted your fate, also signed my name in the Book of Life and Death, saying it will be on the last day of April... There are only four days left, how can I not be nervous?"

"What do you want from me? It's not like I told you you were going to die!" Zhang Mao seemed bewildered.

Xia Ru said, "Although Master Tang didn't say how I died, given my current physical condition, I seem perfectly fine. If I had to say I died suddenly from an illness, then it could only be..."

Zhang Mao frowned and said, "You mean, you'll get chest pain like me?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Xia Ru thought to himself, "You've finally gotten the hang of it." He quickly said, "Old Master Zhang, do you have any leftover medicine from last time? I... I'd like to get some too, just in case."

Zhang Mao's face instantly turned grim. "If I had the medicine, I would keep it for myself. But for an elderly person suddenly suffering from chest pain, having medicine on hand is a lifesaver. How could I give it to you?"

"A little more would be fine too. I would repay your life-saving grace even in my next life." Xia Ru said very sincerely.

He was on the verge of death, and even if he didn't want to provoke Zhang Mao, he had no choice but to give it a try.

Zhang Mao got angry as soon as he heard this. "You say you'll repay me, but you'll wait until the next life? What nonsense!"

Who will know whom in the next life?

Zhang Mao said with a dark face, "I meant if I had it, not that I have it now! That medicine was finished right then and there! Tang Yin hasn't come to the capital yet, so I can't ask him for the medicine. I even asked all the doctors in the capital, but let alone asking them to prepare the medicine, even if I just described the shape of the medicine to them, they said they had never heard of such a decoction."

"What?" Xia Ru suddenly felt a sense of despair, as if he was destined to die.

Zhang Mao said, "Of course, you don't need to take Tang's words to heart. Master Tang, indeed! What kind of master is he?"

Xia Ru thought to himself, "They saved your life, and instead of being grateful, you turn around and attack them?"

If it were me, I would definitely build a shrine for them and go to worship them during festivals!

Xia Ru cried out in anguish, "Is this my fate? Waaah..."

"It seems you trust him a lot." Zhang Mao felt a pang of sympathy seeing Xia Ru break down in tears and suggested, "Although Tang Yin hasn't returned, as far as I know, he's been transferred to Juyong Pass. Perhaps you could send someone to inquire? Or, you could issue a decree to His Majesty and ask him to help you strategize?"

Xia Ru said, "It's too late! Besides, I'm just a poor scholar, I have no face to ask His Majesty for anything."

He felt very frustrated.

His daughter was chosen as empress, and he should have enjoyed the glory, but now when the high-ranking officials in the capital mention Xia Ru, it's like they're talking about a joke.

Zhang Mao stood up, sighed, and said, "That's true. But I also know something else. His Majesty may be planning to do something about the Prince of Ning's son, the one who was transferred to the Northwest. He will be returning to the capital soon, perhaps in the next day or two."

"The son of Prince Ning?" Xia Ru asked in surprise.

What does this have to do with anything?

Zhang Mao said, "Don't you know? My illness was nominally predicted by Tang Yin, but it was actually mentioned in a memorial by Prince Ning. Prince Ning sent Tang Yin and his son to the capital at the same time, but they changed course midway to do something else. It's too late for you to ask Tang Yin now, so asking Prince Ning's son might be the last resort to try anything."

At this moment, Zhang Mao seemed to have gained some humanity, and he actually started to think of a solution for Xia Ru.

For no other reason than that.

The rabbit mourns the fox's death.

Because Zhang Mao now knows that he has chest pain, and after asking others, he knows that this disease may recur at any time in the future. If there is no miraculous medicine next time, or if the treatment is delayed, it will also suddenly disappear.

By helping Xia Ru, he is actually helping himself.

Xia Ru asked curiously, "Who prepared the medicine back then? Why wasn't more prepared? Was Prince Ning aware of this?"

"How would I know?" Zhang Mao said. "I don't know what the ingredients of this medicine are, or where it came from. I'm afraid to let go of that medicine bottle now, for fear that in the future..."

At this point, Zhang Mao stopped talking.

Xia Ru sensed something amiss and his eyes widened in surprise.

So you didn't throw away the medicine bottle? Is this in case you have a relapse and don't have any medicine, so you can lick the bottle from last time? Maybe you can bring it back to life?

Could I borrow your medicine bottle for a moment?

Zhang Mao didn't want to continue the conversation, so he said, "Go and visit that little prince first, see if he has a solution!"

Xia Ru asked, "Where is this young prince staying in the capital? And where should I go to find him?"

Zhang Mao frowned and said, "You keep asking me things I don't know. The Prince of Ning's mansion doesn't even have a residence in the capital. Where he stays after arriving in the capital depends entirely on his mood. If you really take Tang Yin's prophecy seriously, or want to use it as a breakthrough, surely you can find a way to find out?"

"Huh?" Xia Ru thought to himself, "Isn't this like looking for a needle in a haystack?"

You want me to search the entire capital to find the son of the Prince of Ning? Would he really make a fool of himself in public? Do you think I could find him so easily?

"I can also remind you that once he enters the city and you can't find him, go to the city gates and inquire. Send out all your family members; ask everyone who comes, especially since he came from the west. Have people guard places like Xizhimen and Deshengmen. It all depends on how determined you are!"

At this point, Zhang Mao sighed and said, "If you really find out, don't forget to come back and tell this old man."

Xia Ru immediately stood up and said, "Then I'll go right away, without disturbing you any longer, Your Excellency!"

Zhang Mao said, "In that case, I'll send a few people from my household to inquire for you! You're better than me; you've started preparing even before the last day. Speaking of which, is Tang Yin really someone who can sign the Book of Life and Death? He says who will fall ill and die on which day, and that's exactly what kind of supernatural power he possesses?"

Xia Ru smiled wryly, "Only such a capable person could be valued by His Majesty. Extraordinary people have extraordinary methods!"